This is my first single NYE in 8 years and I have no plans to go out and celebrate.
I’ve spent a few NYEs alone over the years, choosing to write and reflect and prepare for the new year, rather than attend a party or go to a restaurant, as I have in years past.
With the ex, when he was not working overnight on NYE, we would stay home, cook something great, watch movies or the Iron Chef marathon or other ridiculousness on tv, and drink champagne and eat brie en croute (he loves brie en croute). When he was working, I preferred to stay home alone and observe my rituals — cleaning, laundry, writing and/or journaling, planning, and welcoming the new year prepared and refreshed.
It’s not that I am antisocial — although I can be — it’s just that I would rather spend the night looking ahead rather than dancing on tables until 2 am, which I did in my mid-20s.
My favorite NYEs were at home, with my brother, eating chips and dips and pirouettes and totino’s pizzas, drinking champagne (or when we were not teenagers or older, sparkling grape juice), and watching comedy marathons. Our parents would always go out to a party and we would always decide to stay in.
In ’99, I flew back here before NYE and was writing all day — a short story, I think. Around 10:30, my assistant called to find out what I was doing on that “millennial” NYE. When I told her I was writing, she gave me 30 minutes to throw on a cocktail dress and heels and hit a party just down the hill. The next year, the ex committed us to a party, where we stayed for an hour before begging off for “another party” . . . our own. Since then, I’ve happily observed it quietly.
My Big New Year’s Plans:
Tomorrow, I am having lunch with my business partner and then spending the evening alone. At midnight in my time zone and in the Eastern, my mom, brother, and I call each other.
Then, on New Year’s Day, which is the time I always gather with my friends to drink mimosas and/or champagne and watch football all day long, I am watching the Florida-Michigan game with the ex. I think I am skipping the champagne. The ex mentioned he may bring over Gerolsteiner for me instead to support my diet and professional cycling.